This study analyzes the dynamic relationships between tourism, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, exports, imports, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in five South Asian countries. A VAR-based Granger causality test is performed with time series data from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. According to the results, both bidirectional and unidirectional relationships among tourism, economic growth, and carbon emissions are investigated. Specifically, tourism significantly impacts GDP per capita in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, yet it has no effect in Bangladesh or India. However, the GDP per capita shows a unidirectional relationship with tourism in Bangladesh and India. The unidirectional causal relationship from exports and imports to tourism in the context of India and a bidirectional relationship in the case of Nepal. In Pakistan, it is observed that exports have a one-way influence on tourism. The result of the panel Granger test shows a significant causal association between tourism, economic growth, and trade (import and export) in five South Asian economies. Particularly, there is a bidirectional causal relationship between GDP per capita and tourism, and a significant unidirectional causal relationship from CO₂ emissions, exports, and imports to tourism is explored. The findings of this study are helpful for tourism stakeholders and policymakers in the region to formulate more sustainable and effective tourism strategies.

The R3A Route represents a collaborative initiative involving the governments of Thailand, Laos, and China aimed at bolstering connectivity along the North-South Economic Corridor, as a vital component of the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program (GMS). Since its inception in 2008, this endeavor has substantially enhanced the logistical framework between Thailand, Laos, and China. However, it has also revealed an imbalance in the benefit distribution of value chains within the tourism industry. One of the fact that, local stakeholders in each country often leverage their home country’s advantages, leading to the exploitation of counterparts with lower capacity in other nations. This unfair utilization goes against the initial intentions of fostering collaboration among these countries. Given China and its development as a starting point for tourism and its popularity among tourists traveling this route, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of China’s policy and insights of its influences on R3A tourism development in Laos and Thailand. The study constructs a content analysis with an umbrella of stakeholder analysis based on reliable data and is cross-verified through data triangulation. The findings lead to recommendations aimed at making Thai-Lao-Chinese tourism cooperation more sustainable and effective.

This research delves into the correlation between institutional quality and tourism development in a panel of nine Mediterranean countries within the European Union spanning from 1996 to 2021. The study gauges tourism development by examining tourist arrivals, while considering GDP growth rate, inflation, higher education, environmental quality, and trade as control variables representing factors influencing tourism. Institutional quality is measured through indicators such as regulatory quality, rule of law, and control of corruption. Utilizing Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) models, the study aims to quantify the impact of these factors on tourism development. The findings indicate a positive relationship between institutional quality and tourism, shedding light on the pivotal role of institutions in tourism management and their influence on the sector. These results have implications for shaping national development strategies.

This research analyses digital nomads’ relationship with tourism, their motivations for travelling and their expectations of the destinations they visit. In addition, it aims to understand the lifestyle of this public and their preference for sustainable destinations, as well as the implications for policies and the organisation of tourism infrastructure, in line with their specific needs. A questionnaire was administered to users of open-access social networks or members of online digital nomad communities (n = 34), between December 2022 and March 2023. Descriptive statistics, construct validations, reliability and internal consistency of the measures were carried out and Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient (r) was applied between items of the same scale and different scales. The results indicate that quality of life, life-work balance, living with other cultures, being in contact with nature, escaping from large urban centres, indulging in tourism all year round and travelling for long stays, are the main motivations of this public. The importance of quality Wi-Fi, flexible tourist services and support services is emphasised as the main attributes to be considered in tourist destinations.

Sustainable ocean tourism is required to establish a balance between the environmental, economic, social and cultural aspects of ocean tourism development. Sustainable ocean tourism also contributes to local and national economies, enhancing the quality of social life and protecting the ecology. Sustainable ocean tourism expands the positive contribution of tourism to biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction and aims to attain the common goals of sustainable developments for ocean tourism. Sustainable ocean tourism is possible due to the roles of regulators and private and government institutions. Government policies, regulations and guidelines play vital roles towards achieving the sustainability of ocean tourism. However, the role of institutions also cannot be ignored, which provide support in the innovation of technologies and the implementation of policies. The paper targets to investigate the roles of regulations, policies and institutions in the sustainability of ocean tourism. A primary online survey on the perception of tourism experts was conducted for this study using Google Forms. The tourism experts were invited from all over the world to participate in the survey. The study received a total of 33 responses, out of which only 30 valid responses were considered. Using the Tobit regression model, the study found that, while regulations in India relative to foreign countries significantly boost the sustainability of ocean tourism, government policies and public institutions in India relative to foreign countries remain insignificant in predicting the sustainability of ocean tourism. Therefore, government policies and public institutions in India need to be revised and reformulated to make them important drivers of the sustainability of ocean tourism.

This research examines the intricate connection between tourism and environmental destruction in 28 Asian countries, concentrating on the non-linear impacts of tourism. Moreover, this study contemplates how tourism can mitigate the effects of economic growth on environmental decline. Westerlund, Johansen-Fisher, and Pedronico-integration tests are necessary to detect the co-integration connection between the proposed factors. The research also uses the Augmented Mean Group; the dynamic system generalized method of moments, and fully changed Ordinary Least Squares (OLS). These tools help address econometric and economic problems such as co-integration, dynamism, variation, inter-sectional dependence, and endogeneity. The results demonstrate a U-shaped non-linear connection between ecological footprint and Tourism in Asian nations. Primarily, the tourism industry can initially decrease environmental damage. However, as it increases in size, it can worsen the harm. Additionally, the study suggests that tourism negatively influences how economic growth affects ecological footprint. This research contributes to the existing literature on tourism’s effects on the environment. The research suggests that tourism significantly impacts the environment; therefore, initiatives to reduce damage should be aimed at tourism.